Call 229-333-5185 to RSVP before Feb. 20! $10.00 at the door (cash or check only).
Turfgrass Maintenance and Weed Control Update 2/22/23
Filed under Turf
Using Pesticides Wisely
Using Pesticides Wisely – Georgia 2023.
- As mandated by federal labels, one must hold a private or commercial pesticide applicator license to purchase and use the restricted use herbicides Engenia, XtendiMax, and Tavium. Use is limited to ONLY those persons holding a private or commercial applicator certification. It is no longer permissible for noncertified applicators to apply these products under the direct supervision of the certified applicator.
- Prior to applying these products in 2023, ALL applicators must be trained according to the federal labels. In Georgia, applicators must complete the 2023 UPW classroom training with locations provided below. Individual and/or on-line trainings WILL NOT be available for 2023.
- Those needing pesticide credit but not applying Engneia, XtendiMax, or Tavium are welcome to attend.
- Bring your pesticide license; 2 hours of pesticide credit for private or commercial will be offered.
- The meeting will last about 1.5 hours; NO beverages or meals will be provided.
- Attendee’s names will be placed on a list posted to the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s auxin website at https://agr.georgia.gov/dicamba; this link is different than in previous years!
Filed under Uncategorized
Reminder: Cotton Update Monday January 30th
Don’t forget about the UGA Extension Thomas County Cotton Update! We will serve breakfast beginning at 8AM at 1202 Remington Ave, Thomasville, GA. Dr. Camp Hand and Dr. Phillip Roberts will present updates on cotton varieties, agronomic updates, and insect management.
Filed under Cotton
Cattle and Citrus Management During Extreme Cold
For cattle:
Here are a few tips to help cattle through this stretch, especially for those that have started the calving season.
Windbreak: This may be the biggest factor to help cattle get through the extreme wind chill we will see on Friday. Cattle will often seek out relief from wind more so than food or water. This can be stands of trees, stacks of round bales, or man-made structures. Placing this close to location of feeding will help ensure they find the windbreak, as well as consume the proper amount of calories.
Bedding: Keeping cattle dry is second most important factor for cattle. After the large amount of rain many have received since Thanksgiving, most are dealing with mud. Move cattle to a dry pasture for the next several days.
Nutrition: Cattle need more calories to maintain their body heat in extreme cold; up to 30% more. Starting at least 1-2 days prior to the expected weather, plan on offering higher quality hay or feeding 4-6 pounds of supplement. If cattle are not already receiving corn, do not start feeding straight corn. I would recommend that the supplement be greater than 70% TDN and 15% CP. A few simple options:
- Whole cottonseed
- Dried distillers grains
- Corn gluten feed
- 50:50 of corn gluten feed and soybean hulls
- 33:33:33 of corn gluten feed, corn, and soybean hulls
- Commercial feed
Water: Most waterers will freeze in this weather. In parts of north Georgia, it will remain below freezing for more than 48 hours. Be sure to check water sources to be sure cattle have access.
For citrus:
The upcoming freeze events will be one of the biggest challenges faced so far by Georgia and northern Florida citrus growers. In past years we have experienced one or two nights of temperatures in the lower 20’s or possibly upper teens in some areas. For the most part citrus trees have survived. One thing different about this event will the number or hours below freezing with highs on Saturday and Sunday in the mid 30’s. Our trees have not experienced that duration below freezing and they have not experience 4 nights in a row down to 20 degrees. One good thing is that trees should be more acclimated to cold temperatures since they have we have had cold temperatures leading up until now. There are many factors I have listed below that influence cold-hardiness.
- Type of citrus tree
- Freezing temperature reached
- Duration of the minimal temperature
- How well the plant became hardened or conditioned before freezing temperatures occurred (the tissue freezing point of a hardened citrus plant may be five to six degrees lower than an unhardened plant)
- Wet or Dry Plant (killing temperature is two to four degrees lower for a dry citrus tree so dry trees can withstand lower temperature)
- Wet soil holds more heat so wetting the ground before the freezing event is recommended
- Age of the plant (a young plant cannot withstand as much cold as a more mature tree).
- Rootstock selection. Some rootstocks like trifoliate and trifoliate hybrids go dormant quicker than non trifoliates
- Trees that still have fruit on them are more susceptible to freezes
- Amount of N in tree (don’t fertilize with too much N especially after August)
- Poorly managed and stressed trees due to insects, disease, or nutrient deficiencies are more vulnerable to freezes
- Planting location. High ground on a south facing slope is best
- Trees without windbreaks are more likely to experience freeze damage
Filed under Uncategorized
Southeast Georgia Pecan Grafting Clinic
Please RSVP by Friday, April 22!
Contact:
Andrew Sawyer
SE Georgia Area
Pecan Agent
agsawyer@uga.edu
912-512-3030
Filed under Pecans
FINAL UPW TRAINING TOMORROW
Using Pesticides Wisely Trainings
All applicators who are planning to apply Engenia, Tavium, and Xtendimax must attend UPW Trainings this year prior to April 15, 2022. However, those that attended a UGA Extension Weed Management Update in 2022, signed in, and received credit do not have to attend UPW Training. Weed Management Updates were held in the following counties between January 10th and February 17th: Pierce, Wayne, Emanuel, Jefferson, Burke, Cotton Commission Annual Meeting – Weed Training section, Lee, Macon/Taylor/Peach/Houston, Calhoun, Mitchell/Baker, Grady, Tift, Colquitt, Irwin/Ben Hill, Worth, Berrien, Screven, Bulloch, Terrell, Webster, Sumter, Dooly, Pulaski/Wilcox, Appling, and Tattnall/Evans/Chandler. All applicators of Engenia, Tavium, & XtendiMax herbicides must also have a private pesticide license. There will not be an extension or issuance of the special applicators license training that has been offered in the past, so all applicators must obtain their private pesticide license.
UPW trainings will be held at the Thomas County Extension Office at 9:30AM on the following dates:
Wednesday, March 16
Wednesday, March 23
Wednesday, March 30
Wednesday, April 6
Wednesday, April 13
Multiple dates have been available for our grower’s convenience and due to the size limitations of our meeting space. To register or if you have any questions please call UGA Extension Thomas County.
For information on how to apply for a Private Pesticide Applicators License please visit: https://extension.uga.edu/content/dam/extension/programs-and-services/pesticide-safety-education/documents/Step-by-Step_PAT_Course_Ordering_Instructions_Aug%2020.pdf
Filed under Uncategorized
Pesticide Clean Day – May 3, 2022 – Houston County
Filed under Uncategorized
Paraquat Usage Requirements
Have you completed the EPA Paraquat Training? As required by EPA’s Paraquat Dichloride Human Health Mitigation Decision and amended paraquat dichloride (a.k.a. paraquat) product labels, certified applicators must successfully complete an EPA-approved training program before mixing, loading, and/or applying paraquat. The training provides important information about paraquat’s toxicity, new label requirements and restrictions, and the consequences of misuse.
A record of those who have taken the training and when it expires can be found here: https://www.agr.georgia.gov/Data/Sites/1/media/ag_plantindustry/pesticides/files/training/Paraquat-Training-GA-3-21-21.pdf
More information and a link to the training can be found on this page: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/paraquat-dichloride-training-certified-applicators
Filed under Weed Science
Thomas County Ag 